Douglas Henry Kidder, 77

Douglas Henry Kidder, 77, entered into eternity peacefully at home on June 28, 2011.

Doug was born in Petoskey to Edward and Dulice (Moose) Kidder on June 28, 1934. Doug spent his childhood in Alanson being raised on the farm of his grandparents, Henry and Mary Kidder.

Doug served in the United States Army from August 1955 until August 1957. Prior to serving in the Army, he also served in the United States Coast Guard on the Charles Donnelly steam vessel in the Great Lakes.

On Aug. 10, 1963, he married Janice Delane Westwood and was married to her for 46 years until she, too, crossed over into eternity to be with our Heavenly Father on July 13, 2010.

He spent most of his adult life in the Detroit area working for General Motors Willow Run Assembly Plant. He worked at GM for 33 years until his retirement. Upon retiring he and his wife built their home in Alanson on the family homestead and moved back up north in 1994.

Doug enjoyed being outdoors, gardening and canning with his wife. He was also an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Pistons never missing a game on TV. Outside of our Detroit teams, he also enjoyed watching and keeping track of his cousin Chris Kamen of the LA Clippers. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends in particular his two granddaughters, Sarah and Katie. He could never walk away from a puzzle in progress and loved to play cribbage with anyone who thought they could beat him at the game, his sister rarely won. He even taught his granddaughter Katie how to play when she was around 4 years old and she still plays cribbage to this day.

He is survived by his siblings, Frances Riffer and Wayne Kidder, of Alanson; his daughter, Beth (John) Ingersoll of Alanson; stepchildren, Tammy Grigowski of Detroit and Kelly (Valerie) Grigowski of Westland. He is also survived by grandchildren, Sarah (Scott) Roe of Hillsboro, Ohio, Katie Ingersoll of Golden, Colo., Andrew (Angela) Grigowski and April (Steve) Nickert of Westland. Also surviving are his great-grandchildren, Karli Delane Coffey, Skylar and Cash Nickert. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who loved and will miss him dearly.

Preceding him are his parents, Edward and Dulice Kidder; brother, Gale D. Kidder; brother in-law, William Riffer; and his wife, Janice.

A casual graveside memorial will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, at the Littlefield Township Cemetery on Valley Road in Alanson.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Hospice of the Straits or the Alanson Church of the Nazarene Food Pantry.